The Importance of Virtual Student Organizations for Online Learners
If you’re interested in virtual student organizations, read on. We’ll discuss their five types, specific examples, and benefits of joining. Yes, we recommend joining these organizations because you’ll have the best college experiences.
When you’re done reading, you’ll be inspired to join one or two organizations. You’ll agree that your college journey isn’t only about good grades. It’s also about having fun, meeting new people, and making friends.
Let’s start with a fun fact. Did you know that large universities have more than a thousand student organizations? The top three universities with the highest number of student organizations are:
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- The University of Texas at Austin 1,680+
- The Ohio State University 1,560+
- University of Michigan – Ann Arbor 1,500+
Many of their student organizations have virtual counterparts, too. These organizations cater to online students who want to enjoy their membership benefits.
What are these membership benefits that you can look forward to? As an online student, you have little to no in-person, peer-to-peer interaction. You’ll likely feel isolated from your peers, even experiencing FOMO.
Fortunately, joining virtual student organizations can address these concerns. You’ll enjoy these benefits, especially if you maximize your membership.
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Build your community.
You can network with peers and build your community. Being friends with peers who share similar interests and goals means getting and giving support. Your online community is a source of support, information, and guidance.
Improve your professional development prospects.
You should start career planning as soon as you enter college. Consider professional development clubs with networking and skills-building opportunities.
Expand your learning opportunities.
You must look beyond the classroom for learning. Consider academic clubs and service organizations. You’ll learn that, indeed, learning is learning regardless of location.
Make college an enjoyable journey.
Your good grades are well and good. But for a memorable college experience, extracurricular activities are a must. Joining student organizations is a good start.
You’ll find student organizations that match your hobbies and interests. There are also student organizations that boost your physical and mental health.
With that said, here are the five types of virtual student organizations you should know about.
Academic and Professional Development Clubs
These are the most popular online student clubs because of their exceptional value. You should choose academic and professional development clubs based on your major. If you’re a business student, it makes sense to choose a business club.
Academic and professional development clubs usually offer workshops, seminars, and conferences. There are also mentorship and networking opportunities.
Students benefit through the following:
Expanding your knowledge and skills in a particular discipline and profession
What you learn in classrooms is well and good, but books don’t cover current trends and industry insights. You’ll expand your knowledge from resource speakers via seminars. Skill-building opportunities, such as leadership development workshops, are also available.
Boosting your career preparedness
Career planning during your college days is a must. Why not do it with your peers? You’ll enjoy peer-to-peer mentoring in career development services in your student club. Resume reviews, along with mock interviews and job search strategies, are on the table.
Increasing your networking and mentoring opportunities
Every workshop, seminar, and social event means the opportunity to expand your circle. Being well-connected with alumni and industry professionals pays off. You can get employment leads and entrepreneurial ideas from your network.
Indeed, if you can only choose one student club, choose an academic and professional club. You’ll get the best of personal and professional growth.
You can look for honor societies and career-focused clubs. Specific examples are:
- Enactus – Liberty University
- Psychology Club – Purdue University Global
- Alpha Sigma Lambda Honor Society – Excelsior University
You can also join the student chapters of professional organizations. This is true for engineering professions, such as ASCE and ASEE.
Social and networking clubs have a more casual approach for those looking for virtual student organizations. Their members usually share common interests, hobbies, or passions. You’ll enjoy more relaxed and fun peer-to-peer interactions through virtual extracurricular activities.
What are these extracurriculars and how are these conducted? A few examples are:
- Cooking or baking sessions through Instagram Live or YouTube Live
- Virtual game nights via game-specific apps or Discord
- Creative workshops, such as in photography, writing, or painting
The value of this remote student engagement lies in the following:
Building new friendships and strengthening old friendships
You and your fellow members can build new friendships and maintain them. This is true even when you don’t have in-person interactions regularly. Your friends are a great source of moral support, college information, and even mentorship.
Decreasing your feelings of isolation and fear of missing out
In a survey of about 1,100 American college students, about 65% report feeling lonely. Online students can feel lonelier because there are little to no in-person interactions.
Being in a social club can reduce feelings of isolation, loneliness, and FOMO. You’ll love the sense of community and social events that come with membership.
Exploring your interests and finding new ones
The beauty of being in a social club is that you’ll discover new facets of your interests. You’ll also discover new ones from your friends, meaning you’re expanding your horizons.
Gaming communities, book clubs, and casual interest groups are their best examples. Specific examples include:
- University of Arizona Global Campus Chess Club
- Southern New Hampshire University SNHUreads Book Club
- Full Sail University’s Armada (esports)
You can be a member of a social club while also being in a professional organization. It’s getting the best benefits of virtual clubs with different goals.
Cultural and Diversity-Based Organizations
These are online college organizations that celebrate specific cultures, languages, and identities. With US colleges being more diverse, their presence is more than welcome.
When you join cultural and diversity-based organizations, you’ll enjoy these benefits.
Promote inclusion and diversity in your campus and local communities.
You’ll be part of initiatives that educate others about various cultures and identities. But it isn’t only about others – it’s also about you. You can expand your understanding of your own culture and become a better advocate.
Encourage dialogues among diverse students.
Diversity and inclusivity are tricky topics on their own. Current events (e.g., the end of federal diversity, equity and inclusion programs) make them even more so.
However, student organizations can tackle these issues at their own level and raise more awareness. You can engage in open discussions and dialogues with peers, professors, and stakeholders.
Expand your networking opportunities.
Being in a student organization means meeting people that you may not meet in other ways. In doing so, you can add more people to your network. Studies have shown that networking is an effective job search strategy, and it’s best to start in college.
Here are specific examples of these organizations and their colleges.
- Arizona State University Online – Black Student Union
- Oregon State University ECampus – Asian Pacific American Student Union
- Ohio State University – Hillel International
You’ll find that these organizations offer leadership development and career support opportunities.
Service and Volunteer Organizations
These organizations enable students to make a positive impact in their colleges and communities. Members can make significant contributions to their advocacies. These can be anything from environmental protection to homelessness. If you search well, you’ll find one or two organizations that address your cause.
What value can you get from joining service and volunteer organizations?
Be more engaged in civic life.
Civic engagement among college students contributes to their sense of community and purpose. You can do good for others and, in so doing, feel good about yourself. Besides, you’re part of a larger community, not just your circle of friends. Your civic engagement can make your larger community better.
By engaging in volunteer activities, you’re exposed to diverse people, perspectives, and problems. You become more aware of social issues that boost your social responsibility. In turn, you start taking the initiative to change your community (i.e., become a changemaker).
The change you make may not be huge, but it’s a start. You may not change the world now, but you can make an impact on a person’s life. Examples of change initiatives include volunteering at shelters or organizing food drives.
Being in volunteer organizations also leads to virtual networking opportunities for students. You may, for example, volunteer at a nonprofit that, in the future, can be your workplace. Being in a leadership position also means building your leadership skills.
Here are specific examples of social and volunteer organizations in online colleges.
- University of Maryland Global Campus – Environmental Awareness Club
- Walden University – Empowerment and Assistance Coalition
The key to maximizing your time in these organizations is your active participation.
Wellness and Mental Health Groups
These aren’t the most popular types of virtual student clubs for many reasons. But in light of recent studies, wellness and mental health clubs must be at the forefront.
Mental health issues today are on a steep rise among US college students. Many report moderate to severe psychological distress, such as depression and anxiety. While reasons vary, troubles with their finances, academics, and isolation are common.
Furthermore, college students have unhealthy lifestyle habits that affect their physical health. Poor diets, little to no exercise, and substance abuse are common, too.
Joining a wellness student group can lead to healthier physical and mental health. You’ll not only enjoy a sense of belonging, but you’ll enjoy these benefits:
Get useful tips, even personalized plans, for your health recovery and maintenance.
Many of these groups have nutritionists, personal trainers, and mental health counselors. Alternatively, you’ll get referrals to these health professionals. Either way, you’ll get the professional help you need.
Enjoy peer-to-peer support.
Your fellow members understand the struggle of physical and mental health issues. Instead of empty reassurances, you’ll get real support and practical advice. You have shared experiences that foster the feeling of a safe space within your group.
You’ll get information about healthy lifestyle habits, including stress management strategies. By supporting your well-being, your fellow members become your friends, too.
Find Active Minds in many colleges and universities, including:
- University of California Riverside
- University of Michigan
- Florida State University
- University of Southern California
- New York University
Active Minds, a nonprofit organization, promotes mental health among young adults.
How to Find and Join Virtual Student Organizations
Before we discuss the ways of joining online college organizations, let’s discuss when you should do it. You must determine your goals, priorities, and schedule first. Be sure to consider your major, interests or hobbies, and identity, too.
We recommend finding and joining virtual student organizations ASAP. This way, you can build your community and enjoy peer-to-peer support earlier. You don’t want to wait until your feelings of isolation and loneliness become unbearable.
With that said, here are our tips on finding and joining your preferred student organizations:
Explore your online college’s official website.
You should find a student life page where student organizations are listed. The directory usually contains their names, mission, and eligibility requirements, among others.
Contact the student affairs office.
If you have questions about student organizations, ask the student affairs office. You can reach out to them and ask questions through chat, email, or phone.
Use Discord, Slack, or Facebook, among other online platforms.
These are popular social media platforms among virtual student platforms. So, it makes sense to contact them via these platforms.
Once you’ve found the virtual student organizations, your next step is to join them. Check out their eligibility requirements, events, and fees, if any. Be sure to choose ones that align with your goals, interests, and advocacies.
Conclusion: Why Virtual Student Organizations Matter in Online Education
In conclusion, the remote student organizations benefits make the time, energy, and effort poured into them worth it. You’ll have a community of like-minded peers, enjoy support, and expand your horizons. So, if you’re still on the fence, jump right in and enjoy a memorable college experience.